The iPhone Air appears to have been one of the least successful iPhones ever, but it seems that hasn’t discouraged Apple from trying again in 2027 with an iPhone Air 2.
The latest report suggests that the company may fix the two biggest problems with the device, and if accurate, I would expect the 2nd-gen model to be significantly more popular …
This year’s iPhone Air
Almost immediately after launch, it was noted that the iPhone Air remained available for immediate delivery long after the iPhone 17 Pro was backordered.
A series of follow-up reports all seemed to confirm low demand for the model. One said that Apple’s manufacturing orders had been slashed to almost end of production levels, while a subsequent one said that production of the device had ceased altogether.
With Samsung seemingly faring no better with its Galaxy S25 Edge, other brands were said to have cancelled their own plans for an ultra-slim form factor.
The two problems
The issue appears to be not that there is no interest in an ultra-sleek smartphone, but rather that people are not willing to pay a high price for a device which involves significant compromise.
In the case of the iPhone Air, having just a single camera is a significant drawback compared to the dual cameras of the base model iPhone 17 and the triple camera setup of the iPhone 17 Pro.
The issue was exacerbated by the pricing. The iPhone Air is $200 more than the iPhone 17, and only $100 cheaper than the iPhone 17 Pro. The majority of those who might have been tempted by the device were likely to have upsold or downsold themselves once they saw the pricing.
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